"What this Country needs is not a change OF men but a change IN men"
March 1980

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Hundreds of fishermen, “third" casualty of typhoon “Frank"

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of fishermen were the “third" casualty of typhoon “Frank" (Fengshen) whose death and disappearance went largely unnoticed as rescue operations centered on victims of MV Princess of the Stars, and residents of provinces that were badly hit by the natural disaster.

In an interview with radio dzBB’s Benjie Liwanag on Sunday, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, said the typhoon's “third" victims were fishermen who went out sailing but failed to return home as the typhoon created huge waves at sea.

“Maraming nangingisda na kapos ang…pagkakaintindi sa bagyo dahil di sa kanila nakarating ang Pagasa o kulang ang report ng Pagasa (There were many people who went fishing during the height of the typhoon who either did not know about the storm or were not informed about the weather advisory from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration)," said Gordon.

He said that in Negros Occidental province’s Cadiz City alone, 222 vessels sank, while six others ran aground resulting in the death of at least 41 people and the disappearance of 89 others.

On Saturday, a report quoted Gordon as saying that at least 324 fishermen died and 804 went missing after their fishing vessels were battered by the typhoon.

Gordon on Sunday told dzBB that the fatalities among fishermen could even be bigger than those who died when the Sulpicio Lines-owned MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province last June 21. The vessel had more than 800 passengers. Gordon said on Sunday that rescuers found 51 survivors from the shipwreck.

“Ang tingin ko, marami pang nawawalang fishermen," ( I think that there are still many fishermen missing)," said Gordon, who also told dzBB that the report on fishermen’s casualty did not yet include the incident in Borangan City in Surigao del Norte where rescuers found at least 12 survivors.